What is so believable about the idea that absolute right and wrong exist?

Question

Please don't go into the obvious logical fact that it is easier to preset beliefs on absolutes, thereby not needing to consider the situation before judging it's moral or ethical correctness.

If people were thinking logically, that argument would crumble under the logic of the eternal truth that nothing is absolute in the universe. The only known constant is change, movement, etc.

So therefore this must be a religious, emotional or otherwise irrational belief, or part of a larger belief system, and I would very much like to know where it's roots lie.

Further questions and comments, directed at answerers:
TheWizeGuy - being religious or spiritual are paths, of which there are many. Not all claim to be the only way, but spokespeople want followers to see their commitment by them saying "we're the only/best."
Your edit is exactly how I have formed myself, but I want to know about other people's idea of right/wrong.
Good advice, but only the first sentence seems to touch on my question.

Jed: Relativism is about the idea that, in short, "in the absence of what is not, what is could not be." If you want further explanation, email me through my profile.

Thomas: You seem to be an excessively devout Bible believer, and my original question was directed at your kind, in part. You have not answered the question at all, and I ask that you attempt to.

Ah Kiat: You are correct in that our conscience tells us what is right/wrong, but what would you do if your conscience said something different to your understanding of the bible? There is no right or wrong answer to my question, only opinion, which is what I seek.

Steven McTowelie: Red and Blue are not absolutes, they are perceptions. A colourblind person would look at red and say it's blue, and in his mind he is right. That's philosophy 101.

hasse_john: you are correct that most people agree on right and wrong regarding some things, however my point is there is nothing, no one ideal, anywhere, that everyone agrees is abhorrent. Therefore it is not absolute. The same applies to the opposite extreme regarding pleasant. Conversely, there seems to be a lot of things that most people are divided about whether it is abhorrent or pleasant, and in some cases that conflict exists within a single individual.

Acid_Zebra: Uncut, Ross, man from utopia, Loki: Great answer! Not actually an answer to my question, but great answer anyway.

Celebduath: You are exactly the type of person this question was directed at, and I'm glad to receive your answer. The problem is I dont understand it, at least in part. Are you suggesting that the only thing you are absolutely sure is absolutely good in the universe is God? If so, how do you connect this belief with the idea of absolute right and wrong? Are you suggesting right equals good?

Answer 1

It's believable because it's truth. However, if we insist on limiting our experience to the observable, we won't recognize the supernatural. It may be an eternal truth that there is no absolute good in the universe if by that you mean that God is not "in" the universe in the sense of being subject to the laws of nature and physics. Maybe a better way of saying it would be, "nothing we can measure in a laboratory is absolutely good." And I don't know that and it's not awfully interesting to me. People who have not received the gift of faith in God and been enlightened to His existence by the Holy Spirit can't see things from their perspective. The fact that you can't get God into a test tube doesn't disprove His existence. The categorical dismissal of the testimonies of those who have experienced His redemption makes me wonder if knowledge is really the goal, or maybe instead it's an unwillingness to "come and see," because of the implications of realizing that there is an omnipotent, omniscient Creator with Whom we have to do. But I say fear not! He is absolutely Good.

EDIT: To your first question, yes, I believe that only God is absolutely good. The best person is only relatively good. I'm not stating this dogmatically, that nothing in creation is absolutely good, but that's what I believe at this time. To tie that to your second question, remember: since I believe that only God is absolutely good, then anything I say is necessarily not absolutely good. So, my answer is, if absolutely right means absolutely good, then absolutely right is still exclusive to God. What Christians rely on is that God is working everything to the good of those who love Him. That He can cause good to come out of bad. For example, Tamar prostituting herself eventually brought us Jesse, David, Solomon and ultimately Jesus Christ. On the other hand, when Uzzah reached out to steady the Ark of the Covenant, God struck him dead. It seemed he was doing the right thing, but apparently it was not a good thing. Did Judah think he was doing the right thing when he sold Joseph into slavery? I doubt it, but that act wound up being Judah's salvation, in a sense, as Joseph's power that resulted from that evil deed eventually rescued Judah from the famine. Proverbs 14 tells us that, "there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death." God sees the big picture. We don't. If we rely on our human understanding and knowledge. we will be putting our faith in a temporal, corrupt and imperfect thing. So again I defer to the scriptures which tell me to, "trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding." I think we can get bogged down in semantics here very easily. In fact, I think I already have!

Answer 2

There are certain things that seem abhorrent to most people. For example, torturing children. If you don't like that example, pick another. Pick something that you find extremely unacceptable. then ask yourself "Shouldn't EVERYONE consider this action bad?" Then ask yourself "why?". For a Theist, the answer can have to do with "the mind of 'god'" and being in Harmony with "HIM". The Atheist seems to be forced into moral relativism--"we were taught that way". Well then we could have been taught another way. Are all ways equal? I don't think so. If you choose, you can embrace moral relativism. Many people have. I understand that there was (is) a Creator, who will one day soon be my judge, and I choose to be in harmony with HIM!

Answer 3

I agree the only constant is change. When the book Tom Sawyer came out many people were angered by the fact that how could this boy help a runaway slave? Yes, I'm aware that Abolitionist supported the theme of helping a runaway slave. Today most would agree that Tom was a maverick and morally correct.

Is there absolute right or wrong or are there many colors with various shades.Look at the people that think of terms in plain black or white. You probably would not associate with them for long periods.

Answer 4

Why should the universe replace God ? God and the universe could be one ! And somehow the universe came into being. Everything makes sense in the universe - in both macro- and micro cosmos, so it looks like the universe has a plan or is like a big plan/map and somebody must have created this map or house. Nothing comes into existence on its own. Everything has to be caused. Maybe you could read Thomas of Aquino. But I could also turn the tables: why then, is it so illogical to consider that, maybe universe has always been and has a creator.

Answer 5

Awesome question! My answer is Chaos. I've never looked into the "chaos theory" but understand how it works (if that's possible).
There is no such thing as absolute wrong or right, just ideas.
Ideas are what we all live by, or ideals. Most people just agree that things are wrong or right (I have my own theories).
Your question is almost philosophical; just sitting on the fine line.
From knowledge of history and my own experiences, I can only guess (at religion). Society agrees upon the norm, but who says society is right or wrong?

Answer 6

People NEED that sense of something MORE.

Religion never did it for me, but being spiritual does.

And, almost every mainstream religion claims it is the only truth out there, when they are blind to the fact, ITS NOT. Simply put. No if ands or buts about it.

EDIT*
You find the truth within yourself, you have free-will, and you must FIND the truth, TRUE TO YOUR OWN BEING.
You have the power to come to your own conclusions and believe what you feel is right, not what someones TELLS you is right.

The Bible is not always the TRUTH for one individuals being.

Find what conforms to YOUR OPINIONS, then go from there.

Answer 7

Your question is not easy. I just know that our conscience tell us what is right and wrong.

Do you want me to give you a right or wrong answer to your question?

You can find the truth in the bible.

Answer 8

you are wrong , to ask this type of questions here.. you must pray for your salvation. Read the bible. try to believe in god. you will come to know. Believe what the book is written.. That's the truth. we are not monkeys. god created us from sand. believe the book.

Answer 9

It is easy to illustrate. Red is not Blue. At no time is red blue. If red was blue, it would cease being red and be blue. There is purple in between, and there is red and blue. Are these not absolutes?

Answer 10

anybody who knows anything about human history knows that right and wrong have fluctuated wildly as our society evolved.

I sometimes wonder what our great-great-etc-grandchildren will condemn, as we have condemned, for instance, slavery.